Eagles snap count analysis: Week 8 at Commanders

In their Week 8 win over the Washington Commanders, the Philadelphia Eagles played 63 snaps on offense and 72 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, and some notes.

Quarterback

• 63 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Analysis: Hurts had by far his best statistical performance of the season (29 of 38 for 319 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) while dealing with a bone bruise on his knee. He only rushed 4 times for 6 yards, and most of his damage was done from inside pocket. The Eagles have a huge game next Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, and then Hurts will be able to get some rest on the bye week.

Running back

• 44 snaps: D'Andre Swift

• 19 snaps: Kenny Gainwell

• 1 snap: Boston Scott

Analysis: During the 2022 season, Swift came out hot in September, and then cooled off a bit in October due to an injury. That same pattern has held true in 2023, minus the injury:

The Eagles' rushing attack as a whole has cooled off in October, really. The return of Cam Jurgens could help.

Aside from Week 2 against the Vikings when he didn't play at all due to injury, Gainwell had his lowest snap count of the season. The previous low was last week against the Dolphins, when he played 23 snaps. Based on the snap count numbers, his role seems to be shrinking a bit, despite Nick Sirianni's insistence that the team hasn't lost any faith in him.

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Scott played his lone snap during the Eagles' first drive of the game.

Wide receiver

• 62 snaps: A.J. Brown

• 61 snaps: DeVonta Smith

• 30 snaps: Olamide Zaccheaus

• 15 snaps: Julio Jones

Analysis: We covered Brown, Smith, and Jones at length in our "10 awards," so we won't rehash all of that here. (But obviously, they were all positives in this game, to put in mildly.)

One player not noted above is Britain Covey, who had a 25-yard punt return and would've had more if Nolan Smith hadn't gotten in his way. Covey is now third in the NFL in punt return average, at 14.7 yards per return, despite calling for far fewer fair catches than the other top punt returners. He has been excellent. 

Covey said after the game that he watches every punt from around the NFL from the previous week. It usually takes him about three hours.

Tight end

• 58 snaps: Dallas Goedert

• 23 snaps: Jack Stoll

Analysis: Stoll left this game for a bit with an unknown injury, but he returned to the field. Grant Calcaterra left with a possible concussion. Calcaterra "retired" briefly from football in college because of a concussion history.

Offensive line

• 63 snaps each: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, and Lane Johnson

• 57 snaps: Sua Opeta

• 6 snaps: Tyler Steen

• 2 snaps: Jack Driscoll

Analysis: Johnson seems to be fully back to form after a scare Week 6 against the Jets.

Opeta missed six snaps, and Tyler Steen got to make his pro debut as a result. He seemed to play fine in the small handful of snaps that I watched of him.

Cam Jurgens is eligible to come off injured reserve this week in advance of the Eagles' matchup against Dallas.

Edge defender

• 61 snaps: Josh Sweat

• 59 snaps: Haason Reddick

• 14 snaps: Brandon Graham

• 7 snaps: Derek Barnett

• 4 snaps: Nolan Smith

Analysis: Sweat and Reddick played a lot of snaps in this game. Prior to Week 8, Sweat was averaging 44 snaps per game, and Reddick was averaging 43. It feels like the defensive staff doesn't seem to trust Barnett (for good reason) and Smith (for now). In my opinion, added depth at edge rusher would make more sense than a linebacker.

Interior defensive line

• 56 snaps: Fletcher Cox

• 41 snaps: Milton Williams

• 22 snaps: Kentavius Street

• 17 snaps each: Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis

• 13 snaps: Marlon Tuipulotu

Analysis: Davis played despite being listed as questionable and not participating in practice on Friday. Carter left this game with a back injury and did not return. I imagine we'll learn more about his status a little later today.

Linebacker

• 51 snaps: Zach Cunningham

• 50 snaps: Nakobe Dean

• 27 snaps: Nicholas Morrow

Analysis: Cunningham also played the most snaps Week 7 against the Dolphins, and seems to be the Eagles' top linebacker. Dean led the team on Sunday with 12 tackles, though my first inclination watching live was that he had some shaky moments. 

Cornerback and safety

• 72 snaps each: Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Reed Blankenship, and Kevin Byard

• 40 snaps: Sydney Brown

• 25 snaps: Eli Ricks

Analysis: After being acquired via trade last Monday, Byard played every snap.

Brown got the start in the slot, with mixed results. He had a couple tackles for loss and a big hit on Terry McLaurin.

However, he was also responsible for the touchdown pass to a wide open Jahan Dotson.

"I'm not afraid to make a mistake, and if I f*** up I own it," Brown said. "That's how I go about my business. I had one play in the red zone that I messed up on and it led to a touchdown, but it's about what you do after that and how you respond. I thought I came out in the second half and did what I needed to do. But just like that, little growing pains that you're going to have to go through, I just have to get back and really key on my technique and what I need to do."

Slot corner is a hard position to play. It's not easy being thrown in there as a rookie safety and having to cover guys like McLaurin, but I thought that Brown was mostly up to the challenge.

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